Anyone needing support for anxiety/depression come over here! (Please)

[LEMtheoriginal]

I'm struggling so much just now and could use the support of fellow sufferers.

Right now I'm just putting one foot in front of the other - getting though the day.

studiously ignoring the piece of paper with the number of my old counsellor

Currently unmedicated and trying not to go back but not sure how long that will last.

I would like this thread to be a safe place to come and help each other through the days (and nights). I know there are other threads but feel they are well established and just would like to hear about how people got into their issues and what they do to help themselves.

I am taking my dd2 for a cream tea after school today. It's my say off work. Always a struggle but I'm getting through it.

Anyone? All welcome from those of us feeling a bit sad to those of us battling serious my issues. No judgements allowed just whatever helps xx

[anxiousnow]

Thanks for the tips. I am also stressing about the day. Kids will be up in 2 hours. I'm watching little boy blue now which is so sad. Sometimes i find a programme or something that makes me cry helps. Maybe a release i don't know. Hope you both get some sleep

[iamUberA]

Hope you both get some sleep too, that was a sad program wasn't it

[iamUberA]

And the fact that it's all real makes it even more harrowing

[anxiousnow]

I haven't seen it before but yes that does make it worse. You didn't manage to get back to sleep then iamuber

[PressPaws]

I hope it's ok if I join in?

I have very bad anxiety, DH is half way around the world on a work trip and I'm home with a 4 year old and 4 month old. Been really struggling with health anxiety, every little symptom for me or DCs I panic is something serious. Lots of catastrophising.

Does anyone know if it's safe to go on anxiety meds while breastfeeding? I had to take meds (Zoloft) while pregnant with DC1 because of awful depression but not sure if anxiety meds are different?

[anxiousnow]

Hi Press, sorry to hear you are alone and struggling. I am sorry, i do not know if it is safe. I'd check to be safe.

[LEMtheoriginal]

Press - I'm sorry you are battling just now. Do you have anyone else to support you with the children? I also am not sure about medication when BF hopefully your gp can help.

I can empathise with so much of what all of you have written. My grown up dd has MH issues and she refuses to seek help. The worry this causes me is indescribable. I mostly manage to contain it but other times the sadness (and the guilt -omg the guilt) is suffocating.

I wasn't the best mum and now she is suffering and I can't help her. Karma shouldn't be kicking the people I love. My 12yo dd is showing signs of at least being at risk from anxiety.

Sometimes I think I should take myself away from people I care about as all I do is cause them pain.

Dreading work. Then have to have my coil removed after work and possibly replaced.

[Cakefortea1]

Can I join please?
I've not been diagnosed with anxiety but I've done a lot of reading & I think that's what wrong with me.
I am currently taking duloxetine for depression so don't know if that helps.
I feel like the world is going to end. I'm struggling to do anything. I cry all the time. I feel worthless. I am overwhelmed.
I have no reason to feel this way. I am a single parent so sometimes feel overwhelmed with house stuff & money worries. My kids do help out.
My main anxiety is over my boyfriend. It's a LDR. I have started to feel anxious every time he leaves. This weekend we fell out Saturday night. We talked & made up Sunday but I was left in an exhausted teary state all day. When he left I lost it. Ate tonnes of rubbish so blew the diet & am currently in bed instead of at the gym.
I can't tell him how I feel as my anxiety is over him leaving me and I'm scared he won't understand. I'm exhausted being anxious all the time. I hate this. I should be so happy right now.

[iamUberA]

Managed a broken couple of hours, hope you managed some too anxiety

[DaisyRaine90]

I was prescribed Lorazapam breastfeeding. Hope that helps 😊

[Smashpumpkin]

Anxious this might sound silly but when i am struggling to turn off I imagine a scenario in my head- something like walking down my favourite street going into all the shops. I even pick out imaginary things to buy. I think it’s the distraction and thinking about something else really helps

[iamUberA]

I do that too smash any random day to day thing

[LesLavandes]

Morning. Hoping for a better day for us all. Chins up, peeps

[anxiousnow]

This sounds really depressing so apologies in advance but I used to make up senarios in my head like that to sleep but I can't even imagine anything happy anymore so struggle. Kids all at school so one successful task done. Good luck everyone today and hi to new posters.

[PressPaws]

Thanks anxious and LEM, I'll check with gp. I hope your cool removal goes ok LEM. I do have help from my mum, but get very anxious about DH being away and something bad happening to him. Imagining worst case scenarios, etc.

Thanks Daisy, it's good to know there was something safe for you to take.

Cake, it might be worth having your medication reviewed? Sorry you're having such a hard time.

Smash I do that too. But have to force myself to imagine good scenarios instead of bad ones.

So nice to have a safe space to talk about this with people who get it.

[Haribogirl]

Hi, Can I join

Suffered with anxiety since about 26 I’m now 60!!
I’ve had good times with fees year breaks, but then I’ll get it again overwhelming to the point it floors me.

I’m in that place right now, I take 150mg venlafaxine and as needed diazepam. That I was given about 5 years ago, previous on escitalopram
I’ve been like this about 4 weeks now, mornings are my worse with
Irrational thought and catastrophying. I lye there trying to go with the symptoms I get but they seem to take over😂 some say distract(but then say doing that means your not dealing with it) others say just go with it, let it go so confusing .
I’ve no appetite at the moment, I’ve lost about 7lb
I can’t seem able to concentrate on morning tv to distract, so play on candy crush on iPhone.
I suppose I lucky I don’t have to go to work as I’m on esa, so I’ve not got that added pressure of that.
It’s my fIL funeral next week, I’m so scared I’ll let my partner down by not being able to go due to anxiety symptoms. I can’t handle feeling like I do shaking , heaving, freezing cold that feeling of you want to flee. I’m not Also good in social situations think I must have some form of social anxiety as well.

I’ve downloaded a cbt app, but I feel cbt is so hard because by the time you get your phone or form out to write it down the thoughts passed etc and I seem to try and make something up. It might not of been exactly what I was doing/thinking at the time, if you see what I mean

Spoke to Gp couple times, she upped my diazepam to 5 mg I’ve tried to access MHT Team again.to be told to fill online form in again
That’s taken 3 weeks for them to get back to me,
I can’t access secondary mht as they feel I don’t need psychiatrist
So it’s first point access, healthy minds.
Went through telephone interview, asked what my symptoms are that are bothering me. She then said what do I want
Counselling or cbt
I said both, no you can’t have both. So cbt it is(I’ve had it before, didn’t work for me then, but hoping this time better therapist)
But waiting list for stage 3 intense is 10/12 mths!!!!!

In my area there is nobody you can talk to on the day phone/walk in unless you go to A&E
I think you need that when your thoughts and symptoms are bad,if just to calm you down

Sorry to go on, I just need to talk. I feel I can’t put this again on DP as he’s got his own problems his dads funeral.

[PhoenixMama]

Hi everyone - can I please make a blanket statement? Please please please go speak to your GPs. Posting here is good but none of us are medical professionals. There are so many things on this thread that would most likely be fixed (at least in the short term) by tweaking meds.

Additionally, if you have access to private medical care ask for a referral to a psychiatrist.

I have had so many of the symptoms here and ignoring them led to me getting much much sicker & ended up in a private hospital.

There is no shame in taking meds and there are so many different ones to try in different combinations.

I had depression which then added anxiety & then finally ptsd.

So many of us are suffering quietly but it really is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. We’re just torturing ourselves in the meantime. The rumination is particularly awful isn’t it.

I love the idea of imagining going down your favourite street. I also find things like jigsaws and colouring help because it’s hard to get obsessed with other thoughts when you’re doing them. Plus the colouring is a great thing to claim you’re doing because of the dcs!

What else do people do that actually helps them calm down?

[Haribogirl]

Hi Phoenix

I agree don’t suffer go to Gp, meds’ helped me

I have private healthcare but can not access help due to the fact I take meds for anxiety/depression. Doesn’t matter how long since your last episode if your on meds you can’t access. Not even talking therapy or cbt nothing. This is my only illness
I’ve even looked about for pre existing illness, but there’s nothing

You will not be able to access it again unless you have been free for 2 years and no meds

So it’s 12 mth nhs waiting lists or pay private

I play on candy crush and soda crush on phone, also loved colouring books(gone off that a bit now) I read when I can concentrate.

[DaisyRaine90]

Not everybody can take meds.

Glad they worked for you though 😊

[PhoenixMama]

Hi Haribo - god that’s shocking re your insurance. I’m fortunate to have relatively unlimited mental health coverage on mine (both inpatient & out patient).

I know not everybody does but I wish more insurances offered better coverage.

Daisy - why can’t you take meds?

I just had a tough therapy session &now have a massive headache. Dd has a piano lesson in an hour 🙉😭

[anxiousnow]

Agree with you all. I hope this thread supports people but is a back up to talk and not the actual action. I feel a fraud giving advice as am such a mess but can listen however much you need to rant. I just realised again that I was just sat here. Staring into space, mind racing. I need to get dinner and homework and all the other things we have to do, yet i can't move. Anyone else do that?

[LesLavandes]

Yes. I'm stuck on my bed. My default place of choice.

[fantasmasgoria1]

I am massively struggling! Anxiety is through the roof a lot of the time! Some of it my own fault! I have a diagnosis which includes depression and anxiety as part of it. I made some life changes thought I was on top of the world, stopped seeing care team and now over a year later I have had a referral in new city. Started on meds again waiting for them to kick in ! Still my personal situation is so much better than it was last year but now damage is done. Stuff that happened to me starting 25 years ago affects me today and is the main reason for my mental health issues.

[DaisyRaine90]

Been on nearly every one available. SSRIs and SNRIs give me Serotonin syndrome. Tricyclics give me side effects as well 😭

[Haribogirl]

Phoenix
Re insurance there all the same
I was with bupa now I’m with saga.
If I was med free for 2 years and no problems then it would be reinstated, upto 6 weeks inpatient but I need the meds.

Who are you with to have unlimited? Never heard of that and I’ve done my homework, but didn’t know at the time you wasn’t covered if you just take meds only